Thomas Adeoye Lambo
Encyclopedia
Thomas Adeoye Lambo was a Nigerian scholar, administrator and psychiatrist
. He is credited as the first western
trained psychiatrist in Nigeria and Africa
. Between 1971-1988, he worked at the World Health Organization
, becoming the agency's deputy director general.
, Ogun State
. He attended the famous Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta from 1935-1940. He then proceeded to the University of Birmingham
, where he studied medicine. To further his studies and become specialized, in 1952, he enrolled at the Institute of Psychiatry
, King's College London
. Adeoye Lambo in due time became famous for his work in ethno-psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology
.
, Dr Lambo returned to Nigeria where he was soon made the specialist in charge at the newly built Aro psychiatric hospital, Abeokuta. By then, Nigeria was under going a transition towards political independence which had hastened a culture of innovation
and change instead of retardation. Prior to the independence movement, the Federal Government
had tried to replicate the Europe
an system of creating asylums in the cities for lunatics and mentally ill individuals who were becoming a social nuisance in the streets of many urban area
s. The need to put the social anomalous individuals under control, sometimes care and confinement was initiated and a few asylums including one at Yaba
where built. However, the institutionalization of mental health
was viewed with suspicion by many Nigerians and many still depended on native medicines and herbalists for care. Adeoye Lambo sensing a ground for development, used the opportunity of an independent regional government to start his own out-patient treatment services, the Aro village, pioneering the use of modern curative techniques with traditional religion and native medicines. Adeoye, while at Aro, sought the help of farmers near the asylum to take some of the patients as laborers, while they simultaneously undergo medical treatment, the patients will also pay for any extra services such as housing. He traveled around the country and brought in a few traditional healers from different parts of Nigeria as healers. His style helped relieve public mistrust of mental health hospitals and brought to public discourse the care and treatment of mentally ill citizens. He is credited as providing a platform for re-integrating mentally ill patients into a normal setting and environment and shedding a little bit of the stigma associated with mentally ill individuals.
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
. He is credited as the first western
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
trained psychiatrist in Nigeria and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. Between 1971-1988, he worked at the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
, becoming the agency's deputy director general.
Early life
Lambo was born in AbeokutaAbeokuta
Abeokuta is the largest city and capital of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria and is situated at , on the Ogun River; 64 miles north of Lagos by railway, or 81 miles by water. As of 2005, Abeokuta and the surrounding area had a population of 593,140....
, Ogun State
Ogun State
Ogun State is a state in South-western Nigeria. It borders Lagos State to the South, Oyo and Osun states to the North, Ondo State to the east and the republic of Benin to the west. Abeokuta is the capital and largest city in the state...
. He attended the famous Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta from 1935-1940. He then proceeded to the University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
, where he studied medicine. To further his studies and become specialized, in 1952, he enrolled at the Institute of Psychiatry
Institute of Psychiatry
The Institute of Psychiatry is a research institution dedicated to discovering what causes mental illness and diseases of the brain. In addition, its aim is to help identify new treatments for them and ways to prevent them in the first place...
, King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
. Adeoye Lambo in due time became famous for his work in ethno-psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology
Epidemiology
Epidemiology is the study of health-event, health-characteristic, or health-determinant patterns in a population. It is the cornerstone method of public health research, and helps inform policy decisions and evidence-based medicine by identifying risk factors for disease and targets for preventive...
.
Career
In 1954, after studying and working as a surgeon in BritainUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Dr Lambo returned to Nigeria where he was soon made the specialist in charge at the newly built Aro psychiatric hospital, Abeokuta. By then, Nigeria was under going a transition towards political independence which had hastened a culture of innovation
Innovation
Innovation is the creation of better or more effective products, processes, technologies, or ideas that are accepted by markets, governments, and society...
and change instead of retardation. Prior to the independence movement, the Federal Government
Federal government
The federal government is the common government of a federation. The structure of federal governments varies from institution to institution. Based on a broad definition of a basic federal political system, there are two or more levels of government that exist within an established territory and...
had tried to replicate the Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an system of creating asylums in the cities for lunatics and mentally ill individuals who were becoming a social nuisance in the streets of many urban area
Urban area
An urban area is characterized by higher population density and vast human features in comparison to areas surrounding it. Urban areas may be cities, towns or conurbations, but the term is not commonly extended to rural settlements such as villages and hamlets.Urban areas are created and further...
s. The need to put the social anomalous individuals under control, sometimes care and confinement was initiated and a few asylums including one at Yaba
Yaba
Yaba can refer to* Yaba or Ya ba, tablets of methamphetamine and caffeine popular in Thailand* Yaba, Lagos, a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria* Yaba, Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso* Yaba, Indonesia is a town in North Maluku, Indonesia.YABA stands for...
where built. However, the institutionalization of mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
was viewed with suspicion by many Nigerians and many still depended on native medicines and herbalists for care. Adeoye Lambo sensing a ground for development, used the opportunity of an independent regional government to start his own out-patient treatment services, the Aro village, pioneering the use of modern curative techniques with traditional religion and native medicines. Adeoye, while at Aro, sought the help of farmers near the asylum to take some of the patients as laborers, while they simultaneously undergo medical treatment, the patients will also pay for any extra services such as housing. He traveled around the country and brought in a few traditional healers from different parts of Nigeria as healers. His style helped relieve public mistrust of mental health hospitals and brought to public discourse the care and treatment of mentally ill citizens. He is credited as providing a platform for re-integrating mentally ill patients into a normal setting and environment and shedding a little bit of the stigma associated with mentally ill individuals.
External links
- Obituary in Psychiatric Bulletin (2004) 28: 469
- Obituary, This Day online
- In memoriam, TWAS Newsletter Vol.17 No.1, 2005 accessed at http://www.ictp.trieste.it/~twas/pdf/NL17_1_PDF/12-InMemoriam_51-52_lo.pdf April 11, 2007